I stumbled upon Little Retreats during a recent all-consuming decor hunt on Etsy. Seriously, if there is anything greater than Etsy for one-of-a-kind design then I want to know about it pronto! Brooke of Little Retreats makes beautiful decor items for events or simply to feather your nest. I am particularly enamored with the mustache collection – perfect for event photo booths – and the endless collection of bird themed items. I will be using the cutout bird cages and tiny nest name card holders for one of my weddings later this summer (oh and live birds in cages…stay tuned for that one!)

I have been so busy working on all the fast-approaching weddings and galas (and yes, playing for a very short week in Belize) that I haven’t been keeping up with posting the recent work. Here’s the first of a few catch-up posts…

Hellebores –

Oh my! How I *love* the hellebore! A gorgeous, delicate little flower that blooms long before everything else in my garden. I now have a full bed of the little beauties – black/purple ones, rose ones, blush ones, lime ones, double bloomed yellow ones – to use in Spring bouquets and boutonnieres.

I am posting this link courtesy of the talented ladies at Studio Choo in San Francisco who put together this lovely Valentine’s Day project for Design*Sponge. Hopefully it will inspire you!

Avoid adding to the glut of office chocolate and candy hearts this Valentine’s Day by bringing a bit of of the outside in. You don’t need to be head-over-heels in love with someone to add some sweetness and color to their day, and these bite-sized arrangements are guaranteed brighten up any cubicle.

We recycled a heart-shaped box to use as our tray (spray-painted white) and mini tins as our candy cups (we found ours in the baking section of Bed, Bath and Beyond and spray-painted them gold). Once your paint has dried, arrange the cups in your box the way that candy would sit in a candy box. Add a small amount of water to each cup, enough to keep your stems wet but not so much that they’ll spill over on the drive to work. Choose a few scoops of your favorite flowers to artfully distribute to the tiny cups. The nice thing about this project is that you can use smaller flowers that are sometimes too small and delicate to work into large arrangements. Cut short stems and sort them into the cups. We used narcissus, quince blossoms, and ranunculus but any small flowers will do fine. Add the lid and secure with a ribbon. Be careful transporting them and be sure to keep the box level (that’s why we kept the water low).

Pass out the mini-arrangements or let your coworkers choose their favorite ones. The arrangements may only last a few days, but that’s a few days more than a box of candy would last and with so fewer calories. Don’t forget to save one for your desk, too!

I wanted to share a few winter and holiday decor images from my recent Thanksgiving trip “home” to London…

Knightsbridge:This gorgeous entrance courtyard in Knightsbridge made me positively swoon! It takes serious gardening skills to keep flowers alive in London’s frosty winter weather. I should know – these potted topiaries with cyclamen inspired me to come home and spruce up my own pots…which didn’t survive last week’s freezing Seattle temperatures. Back to the nursery…

Regent Street/Oxford Circus:Liberty’s department store at 218 Regent Street has been around since 1875, making it one of the oldest shops in London. Known around the world for its stunning building reminiscent of a Elizabethan theatre, luxurious designer collections and interior design origins, I was dying to check out its Christmas decor and was not disappointed! A ceiling covered entirely with wrapping paper ribbons, tinsel streamers glistening all the way down from the 8th floor and flowers, flowers, flowers galore!

So if you happen to be in London at Christmas, I highly recommend a visit to the iconic store, camera at the ready, and if you feel like being really generous, dear husband, I’ll happily accept one of their “gift coins” commissioned exclusively by the Royal mint. http://www.liberty.co.uk/

I recently spent a lazy sun-soaked Sunday wandering through the UW arboretum with my husband and dogs…here are a couple of shots…and don’t even get me started on how much I love to use berries and twigs in my floral designs!